Joshua meeeill



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IMPROVEMENT IN METAL BEAMS.

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TO' ALL WHOM I'I MAY CONCERN: I

Be' it known that I, JOSHUA'MERRILL, of the city of lBoston, county of Suffolk, State ot' Massachusetts, have invented certain new-and useful improvements in Metal Beams suitable for building purposes; and I do hereby declare that the following Vis a full .and correct description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings, and to the letters of reference thereon. l i

' The nature of my invention consists, first, in a metallic beam suitable forbuilding purposes, made hollow and water-tight, so that it can conta-in a body oi' water within it which may be introduced by suitableapertures in the top or upper side of the beam; second, injcombining with said beam a body of watercontained within the beam for the purpose of preventing the beam from being heated above the temperature of boiling water when exposed to the action of iire so long asthe water lasts, and also for .the purpose of aiding inextinguishing the iire by the steam escaping from the beam.'

But to more particularly describe my invention I will refer to the drawings which illustrate the construction I prefer to use. v i

Figure No. 1 of the drawings is a plan view.

Figure'No. 2, a side elevation, with part broken to show the longitudinal section; and

Figure No. 3 an-,end view of my improved beam. I

The beam consists of two side platesa and b rivetedtightly to the flanged top and bottom plates c and d,- the ends of the box so formed-being closed by\the flanged end plates c and f, which are riveted tightly to the side plates and to the top and bottom plates, as shown in the drawings. In the top plate are two apertures, g and h, which should be stopped with a cork, z', or other similar plug that will prevent the evaporation ci' water and yet yield to the pressure of vapor or steam from the water enclosed in the beam when heated. The ond pieces may be made of cast iron. I prefer to make the sides` and the top and bottom anged pieces oi' wrought iron. The wholejshould be riveted together so as to be water-tight. The beam may be protected from rust by thoroughly painting the parts beforo'putting them together. When the beams are placed in a building water is poured into them through the apertures provided for that purpose, and the apertures are corkcd or plugged up to prevent evaporation. Should a re take place in the building the beams cannot be heated hotter than boiling water so long as the water lasts, and therefore will maintain their rigidity and keep in position better than ordinary beams of metal. i

I claim as of my improvement in metal beams suitable for building purposesi The hollow metal beam made water-tight, and suitable to contain a .body of water within'it, and provided with suitable apertures for the introduction of water, substantially as hereinbefore described, and substantially for the purposes hereinbe'orc set forth.

Also in combination with said hollow metal beam, constructed with suitable apertures for the introduction of water and the escape of steam, a body of water contained within said beam, substantially as described for.

the purposes set forth.

JOSHUA MERRILL.

Witnesses:

, LEVERETT BRADLEY, Jr.,

JosIAn D AvIDsoN. 

